#8. Sphere (1998) | Own Sphere ($10 @ Amazon.com)
Why it shouldn’t have flopped: Aliens can draw when done right. Just look at, uh, Aliens. And E.T., and about a hundred other outer space flicks with less of a blockbuster cast.
Why it flopped: When Samuel L. Jackson, Sharon Stone, and Dustin Hoffman can’t carry a movie when the plot blows, the screenwriting blows, or the execution blows. In this case, it was the trifecta of shittiness.
What could have saved it: Better execution. Psychological thrillers are tough enough; sci-fi psychological thrillers up the ante, but sometimes you just have to fold ’em. Otherwise, you’re on the hook for $61.4 million in losses.
